10 April

A Journey Of Rights and Disability Inclusion Since the end of the Second World War, the global community has been undergoing a period of profound societal change. Civil Rights movements have shaken the foundations of the global order, standing at the heart of social transformation and progressive change for the better part of the last two centuries.This story can be traced, in various ways, to pivotal moments across our historical past. No area of human civilisation has been immune to debates and movements about the rights of individuals and the responsibility of the state, or supreme power, to the citizens who are governed by it.Across age, class, sex, faith, sexuality, and disability, individuals have advocated and fought for the gradual reshaping of their societies into the world we live in today – one aspiring toward a concrete vision of individual liberty, equality before the law, incorruptible justice, and shared prosperity. Yet, the journey has not always been smooth. We may view the past in entirely barbaric terms, and in many ways, we would be right. Still, history shows us that resistance to oppression has always existed. For the simple yet radical idea of human equality, battles were fought, won and lost; wars were waged, and countless lives were sacrificed.As far back as 1100 BCE, records from ancient Egypt suggest the occurrence of organised workers’ strikes. In 287 BCE, in ancient Rome, the dictator (no relation to modern-day dictators, please) Quintus Hortensius, passed the Lex Hortensia, a law which theoretically secured political equality between the ruling Patrician class and the free Plebeian citizens by making all resolutions from the Plebeian Council binding on all Roman citizens. Centuries earlier, Persia, under the infamous Cyrus the Great, issued the Cyrus Cylinder, a declaration often regarded as one of the earliest endorsements of religious freedom. Progress, however, has rarely been swift. It was not until the 1960s – during the height of the U.S. Civil Rights Movement – that disability inclusion began to emerge as a distinct movement with its own pure identity, advocating for a community whose experiences cut across age, class, gender, and culture. Prior to this, early steps toward social protection existed in the US, most notably the Social Security Act of the 1930s, signed into law by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, the first U.S. president with a physical disability.Between the 60s and the 90s, Civil Rights took multiple leaps forward around the globe. Across Africa, people reclaimed self-governance after a century of colonial rule. These transformations were marked by deep struggle, highlighted by the deeply divisive racial conflict in apartheid and post-apartheid South Africa. In Nigeria and throughout the continent, citizens grappled with the profound responsibilities and challenges of independence, democratic self-determination, and governance.Alongside these transformations, other social changes gained momentum worldwide. As gender (sex) rights, religious liberty, and freedom of expression raced forward, the world made enormous progress in the integration of persons with disabilities (PWDs). By the late 90s, the US, Canada, India, and the UK had enacted laws prohibiting discrimination based on disability.The newly formed United Nations played a central role in shaping global disability advocacy with the 1975 UN Declaration on the Rights of Disabled Persons. This milestone set the stage for later international frameworks, most notably the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) in 2007, which emphasised not only fundamental rights like the right to accessibility and the right to life, but also focused on the socio-economic foundations that make political rights meaningful.Today, over 100 countries on Earth have enacted and implemented some form of legislation on disability inclusion. Still, the journey continues.Nationwide implementation of accessibility standards, increased participation of persons with disabilities in the workforce, politics, policymaking, and governance, inclusive education systems where children with disabilities and without disabilities learn together safely, and a societal culture that embraces rather than marginalises disability – these, and many others, are the markers of progress that remain ahead of us.On this journey toward true disability inclusion, we at TAF Africa, our donors and partners, and team, are committed to walking every step of the way.

25 February

The 2023 General Election is a high-stake election, one that is very consequential and pivotal in charting the course of democracy in Africa at large. With voting already underway across the 36 States and the Federal Capital Territory, TAF Africa through its first-ever Persons With Disabilities Election Hub has been closely observing the elections, specifically the participation of persons with disabilities.  TAFAFRICA PWD ELECTION HUB deployed 700 trained and accredited observers who are currently collecting data on key processes as it relates to PWD participation in the election. TAFAFRICA’s observation of the 2023 General election has the objective of ascertaining the active and increased participation of persons with disabilities in the elections, as well as establishing if the election is inclusive, free, fair, credible, and reflects the supremacy of the electorates’ vote. TAFAFRICA PWD ELECTION HUB has also set up the first-ever election analysis hub for the review and assessment of key issues capable of undermining the active participation of PWDs in the elections. The following are TAFAFRICA PWD ELECTION HUB’s preliminary findings on the conduct of the elections based on data received from 273 field observers out of the 700 deployed. General Atmosphere of the Elections; Reports from TAFAfrica’s field observers indicate that the general atmosphere in which the election is being conducted has been peaceful and voting has largely proceeded smoothly without any major reports of violence or disruption of the process. Presently, only 13 PUs out of 128 are yet to register the presence of any security personnel. Timeliness and Deployment Data from the areas covered by our observers indicate that only 50 percent of INEC officials arrived at their polling units before 8:30 am. Data from TAFAFRICA PWD ELECTION HUB Dashboard further showed that only 38% arrived before 8:30, 45% arrived between 8:30 am and 9:30 am, and 18% arrived after 9:30 am. In the South-East zone, many polling units are yet to confirm the arrival of INEC officials.  Data from TAFAfrica observers also show that 44% of Polling units have at least one (1) PWD INEC Ad hoc Staff. As regards the availability of important election materials, TAFAFRICA PWD ELECTION HUB data indicated that in at least 83% of polling units sensitive election materials like assistive devices, ballot papers, BVAS, results sheets, ballot boxes, and the voter register were available for the conduct of the election.   BVAS And Assistive Devices; TAFAFRICA PWD ELECTION HUB data showed that in all 223 Polling Units, BVAS was available in most except in 3 Polling Units: LG Primary School Ipakodo, Ipakodo Ward, Okorodu LGA in Lagos State, Town Hall in Odurubu/Bolooadurubu Ward in Patani LGA in Delta State and Shopping Complex in Barnawa Ward, Kaduna South LGA in Kaduna. On the availability of assistive devices, Braille Ballot Guide are available only at 26 out of 273 PUs, Magnifying Glasses at 60 out of 273 PUs and Large Font Posters at 90 out of 273 PUs. INEC was expected to provide 21,165 magnifying glasses at 16,071 polling units for persons with albinism and minor visual impairment, 6,167 posters at 5,085 PUs for those with hearing impairment nationwide, and 8,117 braille ballot guides at 5,957 PUs for the visually impaired.   In the FCT for instance, KUBWA VILLAGE/KOFAR SARKI (37-02-09-001) and DEIDEI PRY. SCHOOL FRONT OF PRY TWO BLOCK (37-02-09-059) both in Kubwa Ward, Bwari LGA are expected to have at least 6 and 13 registered visually impaired persons respectively. As such at least 1 braille ballot guide should be provided at these polling units. On the contrary, only large font posters were the only assistive devices made available. Similarly, persons with albinism are registered at GAMES VILLAGE (37-06-02-139) Garki Ward, LUGBE F.H.A. GATE (37-06-03-014) Kabusa Ward and SABURI II HEALTH CENTER (37-06-12-06) Gwagwa Ward)  all in the Municipal. Magnifying glasses are expected at these PUs but magnifying glasses were only provided at LUGBE F.H.A. GATE (37-06-03-014).   Accessibility to Polling Units and Priority Voting; TAFAFRICA PWD ELECTION HUB data showed that 234 out of 273 PUs are accessible, and priority voting is being given to PWDs at 211 PUs out of 273. Accreditation and Voting Reports from TAFAfrica observers on the field indicate that accreditation and voting is ongoing on all the PUs. However, there are also reports of PWDs not participating in the elections due to long hours of waiting, as well as the unavailability of assistive devices.   Party Agents; Observer data from the election observation platform showed all Polling Units reported the presence of at least one party agent. Out of 223 PUs, TAF Africa observers reported the presence of 0ne to 5 PWD Party agents in 95 PUs.   Conclusion TAF Africa PWD Election Hub observers will continue to keep a close watch on the election up till when voting ends, and counting and collation of results begin. Further updates on findings will be provided at the end of the voting. Signed: Amb. Jake Epelle, Chair, TAF Africa PWD Election Hub   For Media Enquiries, contact: Ndifreke Ferdinand Coordinator, TAFAfrica PWD Election Hub (+2348146373363 | ndifreke@albinofoundation.org)